Photos: Stars Attend Julie Andrews Book Launch

Celebrity associates of Dame Julie Andrews gathered at showbiz shop Dress Circle in Covent Garden at lunchtime today (6 March 2007) for the launch of Richard Stirling’s new biography of the iconic actress. Guests in attendance included Jane Horrocks, Gavin Creel, Aoife Mullholland, Helena Blackman, Anne Rogers, Aden Gillett and Christopher Biggins.

Oscar-winning actress Andrews is most famous internationally for her screen roles in Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music, but has had a highly successful stage career with West End and Broadway hits including My Fair Lady, Camelot and Victor/Victoria.

Richard Stirling, who spent nine months researching and writing the biography, told Whatsonstage.com: “It started really with my dealings with her at the National Film Theatre when I curated the season celebrating her 70th birthday in 2005, and meeting her for various magazine interviews. I thought she would be a wonderful subject for a biography. It’s about her career as much as it is about her personal life. I’ve followed her career closely and seen her at the height of her fame. For awhile she became less popular, but now she is back in fashion again. And no wonder – she’s a dame; she has written some very successful children’s books; she’s a huge box office draw in all her films. She’s the Queen Mother of Hollywood, really.”

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Helena Blackman, who was a finalist on How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?, commented: “I’m hoping to buy a copy of the book today. I’ve always been a huge fan of Julie Andrews, ever since I saw her in the Disney film of Mary Poppins. She is inspirational, and a classic musical theatre actress.”

Gavin Creel, who is currently starring as Bert in Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward Theatre and worked with Julie Andrews on US TV programme Eloise at Christmastime, told Whatsonstage.com: “She is exactly as you would imagine her from seeing her in those great film roles like Mary Poppins and Maria in The Sound of Music. She is absolutely lovely.”

– by Caroline Ansdell